'Technology takeover' robbing Aussies of morning intimacy

WHEN you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you do: roll over and kiss your partner... or scramble for your phone?

New research commissioned by Uncle Toby's has revealed that Australians are prioritising technology over spending time with their loved ones and eating breakfast in the morning.

While once upon a time, the morning kiss was once the traditional first ritual of the day, almost two-thirds have revealed the first thing they do when they wake up is pick up their smartphone, compared to only one in six who give their partner a good morning kiss.

Meanwhile, social media, text messages and sending emails are also disrupting our good morning habits with only one in 10 regularly eating breakfast with their family in the morning.

For 55 % of us, all of this screen staring mean we are skipping breakfast altogether.

Checking and sending emails (27%), browsing the internet (27%) and posting, liking and commenting on social media (23%) were the biggest culprits.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research revealed that Gen Y (62%) are the most likely to run out of time for breakfast because of their technology habits but half of Gen X-ers (50%) and two in five Baby Boomers (41%) are just as bad.

Dietitian Geraldine Georgeou says the results of the morning "technology takeover" is worrying.

"Many Aussies think they're being productive by getting a jump-start on their emails first thing in the morning, but it's a case of one step forward and two steps back," she said.

"As the day progresses they'll find their productivity suffers as a result of having low energy levels and poor concentration associated with rushing out the door and skipping breakfast."